1. Field of the Inventions
This application relates generally to injection and/or aspiration devices, systems and methods, and more specifically, to devices, systems and methods of delivering pharmaceuticals or other substances and/or other fluids into and/or out of an intra-articular space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Physicians, clinicians and/or other medical personnel often need to deliver a volume of medication, other fluid and/or other material to (or aspirate fluid from) an anatomical location, such as, for example a joint (e.g., toe, knee, wrist, shoulder, ankle, finger, spine, etc.). Accordingly, a needle can be inserted through a patient's skin and into the targeted location. A syringe or other fluid source that is in fluid communication with the needle can then be used to deliver the desired volume or other dosage of fluid and/or other material to the targeted joint or other anatomical location.
Current injection practice generally involves palpation by the physician of a bony prominence on the patient's anatomy to serve as a “landmark” to guide the injection into the targeted location. The injection is completed by advancing the needle, which is typically connected to a disposable glass or plastic syringe, into the target area. The syringe plunger is then advanced to deliver the fluid. In many cases, current treatment methods do not offer precise or accurate delivery.